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I Sleep Now Like a Baby Thanks To This Amazing Book

7 Effective tips on how to get quality sleep.

By Ionutz KazakuPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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Why We Sleep - Book Cover

We sleep 1/3 of our life.

Have you ever thought of that?

Why would mother nature induce us to this paralysing state every night and make us spend so much time on it?

Because sleep is very important.

In his book, Matthew Walker, explains why sleep is so vital, how it can improve our day-to-day performance and most importantly, how lack of sleep dangers our health.

The old maxim “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is therefore unfortunate. Adopt this mindset, and it is possible that you will be dead sooner and the quality of that (shorter) life will be worse — Matthew Walker.

Here are 7 tips which will guarantee you quality sleep —

#1: Stick To a Sleeping Schedule

The most important factor!

It doesn’t really matter how late you go to sleep. What matters, is having a disciplined schedule.

If you go to sleep at 00:00, wake up the next day at 7:30–8:00.

Every single day, weekends included 7 days out of 7.

This maintains the timing of the body’s internal clock and it will help you fall asleep and wake up more easily.

#2: Avoid Caffeine

The most used psychoactive stimulant in the world.

Even though people don’t consider coffee to be that dangerous, it is hugely affecting your sleep.

Let’s say that you have a cup of coffee after your evening dinner, around 7:30 p.m. This means that by 1:30 a.m., 50 per cent of that caffeine may still be active and circulating throughout your brain tissue.

In other words, by 1:30 a.m, you’re only halfway to completing the job of cleansing your brain.

Avoid caffeine of any kind, coffee, colas, certain teas, or chocolate. You will need 8 hours to wear off fully.

I recommend drinking your last coffee at 2 pm.

#3: Avoid Alcohol

Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed.

Yes, funny.

Most people drink alcohol in the evening. That can be at a dinner table, at parties or at other events.

People consuming even moderate amounts of alcohol in the afternoon and/or evening can inadvertently deprive themselves of dream sleep, which is crucial to your sleep.

Alcohol fragments sleep, littering the night with brief awakenings.

Drinking an alcoholic beverage before sleep can help you relax, but heavily robs you of REM sleep.

#4: Are You Taking Naps?

I take a nap every day.

If you want to take naps there are 2 important things to consider:

Don’t take naps after 3 p.m. Naps can help make up for lost sleep, but late afternoon naps can make it hard to fall asleep at night. And naps shouldn’t be longer than 20–30 minutes.

Andrew Huberman recommends getting an NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest). Jocko recommends placing a pillow under your legs in order to make you fall asleep faster.

A 20 to 30-minute power nap will energize you and help you finish the day strong.

#5: Relax & Take a Hot Bath or Shower

Avoid any kind of stress-related things, at least before sleep.

Take a hot bath or shower before bed.

You will finally forget about work and other responsibilities, making you calmer. And also, after getting out, the drop in body temperature will help you feel sleepier.

Hot water helps you get into a meditative state.

#6: Regulate The Temperature

Your room should be colder.

No, you shouldn’t sleep on ice.

You should be sleeping in a cool environment of around 17–18 °C. You should lower your core temperature to about 1 °C.

Warmer temperatures can cause discomfort and restlessness, and anyone who has slept in a stuffy bedroom can confirm that it’s hard to nod off when you’re sweaty and dehydrated.

Open your windows, close the window blinds, turn down the thermostat during the night and don’t wear socks.

#7: Maintain Complete Darkness

Arguably the most important factor, again.

Maintaining complete darkness throughout the night is critical.

You shouldn’t be exposed to any light 2 hours before sleeping, as it suppresses the release of melatonin, the hormone which helps regulate the timing of when sleep occurs. It is a messenger that “shouts to the brain and body: it’s dark, it’s dark!”

Set your devices to “night shift” or lower the light exposure.

Wearing a sleep mask will help you fall asleep faster.

We sleep 1/3 of our life. We should take a healthier approach to sleep.

Subscribe to my monthly newsletter! This month, I will record a video sharing my opinion on the books I’ve read and my reading list for the next month.

Thanks for reading :)

adviceagingbeautydietfact or fictionhow toliteraturescienceself carewellness
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About the Creator

Ionutz Kazaku

Writing articles, reading books, listening to podcasts — constantly learning.

All my socials: bio.link/ionutzkazaku

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